Remember that time Google said it was abandoning sign-in with Google+ accounts for Play Games and introducing a brand new Gamer ID system with automatic sign-in and improved privacy controls? Don't worry if that's not very fresh in your memory, the announcement was almost two months ago. Well, it's finally time to make the switch for real. The latest Play Games update switches users to the new system (for those that weren't already on it) and fully enables the account customization features.

A small number of users were switched over to the Gamer ID system within a day or two of the original announcement, but the rollout to existing accounts stopped very abruptly. Rumors suggested there were bugs in the conversion that may have resulted in some users losing their sign-in history with games they had previously played. Since that time, only new accounts have been able to join the new system, meanwhile most existing accounts have been held back with profiles stuck in private mode.

Play Games v3.7 enables the setup procedure to create a Gamer ID, which simply requires users to pick an account name and, optionally, an avatar. The setup screen is shown either from attempting to switch an account from private to public, or by going to your account page (by tapping on your photo) and then tapping a new edit button that appears in the upper-right corner.

In addition to picking a name and avatar, you'll also have the option to make your profile discoverable by name and email, and to make your activity publicly visible. All of these details, including your alias, can be modified later by hitting the pen icon on your profile screen (shown above).

Left: previous version. Right: new version.

The Settings screen also includes another notable option to enable automatic sign-in for Play Games. This will allow games to sign into your Gamer ID without prompting for sign-in or asking for permissions it doesn't need. Since Gamer ID is no longer directly linked to your Google+ profile, it still has to ask for permissions to access anything related to social networking.

Left: previous version. Right: new version.

That's about it for the important changes, but it's worth pointing out that there are a couple dozen small changes to text throughout the app. For example, the "Inbox" in the navigation drawer has been renamed to "Notifications." If you've written out instructions for people in the past, you may have to update them to reflect the changes.

Left: previous version. Right: new version.

Finally, this version also brings the newly redesigned icon for Google Play Games. Both old and new can be seen above. This makes Play Games the third to be updated after Newsstand and Play Movies. (There was also a Play Store update with the new icon, but its branch has since switched back to the older icon.) ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Download

The APK is signed by Google and upgrades your existing app. The cryptographic signature guarantees that the file is safe to install and was not tampered with in any way. Rather than wait for Google to push this download to your devices, which can take days, download and install it just like any other APK.

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The APK is available in different pixel density variants - 240, 320, and 480 dpi. My Nexus 5 has 445 dpi so which variant do I choose? Round up or down?

.wewewe

and can I disable completely google games and all dumb prompts in a couple of games? I don't care about google games or whatever and it's only pissing me

TheDave1022

Why would you hate using google games? It is similar to facebook and it allows you to cloud sync. I could care less about the other stuff, but the cloud sync is an awesome feature to have.

.wewewe

I don't use nor see a point in facebook... basic 1-to-1 text/chat/e-mail suit my online social needs... and cloud sync? with only 1 device and casual gaming in logic games (which are backed up daily by titanium? doesn't really makes sense...

Rufflow

Fortunatly you are not the only user out there.

Or we hadn't any IT innovation after 1995 :p

Flint_PS

Facebook allows for crossplatform sync? That is a piece of information I never came across before...

Rufflow

Yep. Some games support it.
Clash of clans, angry birds 2, marvel puzzle quest, dominations, clash royals and many others.

Very handy stuff

Flint_PS

I'd say. And completely unadvertised.

p3d3str1an

In Supercell games (Clash of clans, Clash royale) the Facebook login used only for friends. If you want to sync your progress, you must log into Google play game services too.
The games, which ones support facebook for sync, I bet they use facebook only to identify the user, and the gamestate saved on their own servers.

Rufflow

Indeed. They use facebook to keep to reference to your server game. A backup of the actual file is saved on google play games or iCloud on iOS. But as soon as you connect it checks if the server version is newer and downloads it seamlessly.

Handy if you have a Galaxy phone but also an iPad

TheDave1022

Yea i think you are the minority here. Most people use the cloud sync. I used to TiB everything and root. I'm no longer on that route with my Nexus and the want for android pay. Cloud Sync is a savior if device dies or to play on multiple devices.

p3d3str1an

make a profile, and check autologin... no more dumb prompts

.wewewe

I don't want social profile, period...

Suicide_Note

I don't want one either. Fortunately, you can hide your profile from public view.

Sruly J

While I'm somewhat happy that my main email address finally got this access, I still have run into an issue where some apps only allow my account if I create a Google+ account

Question: anyone know if this Google Play app or any app enable some kind of account game saving/loading functionality, so that I can actually continue a saved game on another device? Or does that fall on the game developers' side?

[Rant] I hate games that ask for access to G+ circles, my profile info, email id and what not while signing into play games and then don't use cloud save...!!

TheManuz

Rant here, feel free to skip it:
thanks to their stupid "gradual rollout" policy, my gamer id was already taken.
I know, i live in 3rd world (Italy), and someone took mine, probably because he/she lives closer to the Bay area.
What really bothers me is that my Google Play level is 27 (758.000 XP), and the guy/girl that took it is only level 7 (30.000 XP).

I am level 30 (as you can see in the screenshots above), live within an 8 hour drive of the Bay Area, and follow the goings-on of Google for a living [1]... Yes, that's literally how I make money... Despite all of that, my preferred name was also swiped long before I could get to it. That player is level 9 and has played nothing but Clash of Clans on their account.

I'm not going to share the name here, but it's one I have used for over 20 years and in a lot of places. I've taken some high rankings in a few tournaments under that name a few years back and a not insignificant number of people know to look for that name... So, yeah... I get where you're coming from, and I think I could make a stronger argument for being disappointed with the way this worked out, which is why I not so subtly alluded to it in the article text. However, I feel like this is going to be one of those things where there's little point in crying over spilled milk. Every time a service opens up with custom names, there's always a landgrab mentality about getting good names. When we're talking about social networks, it's at least easy enough to identify impersonators (though, I've even had trouble with that on a couple of networks), but things aren't so clear when you're dealing with made-up names on gaming networks. Basically, this is just one of those issues that will never go away.

[1] I'm also a software developer, but let's not nitpick details.

TheManuz

I feel you, bro!

You know what really bothers me? It's because my nickname it's very uncommon, so usually i can get it everywhere i go.
Anyway, I just added my birth year to my usual ID... but it's not the same!

BeerOnTap

Which DPI do I select on 6P

AQ

The new menus first two rows aren't lined up properly, as they say once seen...

Dean Rosolen

Google has made a real mess of the Gamer ID rollout (both in terms of the rollout itself as well as the lack of communication with users). I still don't see 3.7 on Google Play here in Australia either.

Surely there's a way to bump myself up the queue for these. Sideloading the APKs requires that installation from unknown sources is enabled in settings (which in itself is a security risk).

EDIT: I should also note that the Play Store app itself had an update (6.4.12) which adds the new icon (not sure of any other changes).